By Libby Humphries, Environmental Educator During the warmer months at The Ridges, a symphony of insects can be heard from the front garden to the Range Light corridor and throughout the rustic trails. This series of music, formed by layers of species harmonizing in unison, is the song of summer here. One of the key [..Read more]
by Anna Foster, Director of Programming A symbol of summer, monarch butterflies are widely recognized for their bright orange, black, and white spotted wings. Their scientific name, Danaus plexippus, translates to “sleepy transformation” in Greek, referring to their incredible ability to metamorphosize. From their larval stage, they form a chrysalis, spending two weeks metamorphizing into [..Read more]
By Jackie Rath, Program Coordinator Did you know that one of the most precious species of The Ridges Sanctuary is the Hine’s emerald dragonfly (Somatochlora hineana)? This winged wonder is listed as Federally endangered and its largest populations are found in Door County, particularly in The Ridges Sanctuary and surrounding wetlands. In fact, the Hine’s [..Read more]
By Tony Kiszonas The Ridges Sanctuary has tremendous plant diversity including native terrestrial orchids. Following the idea that “lack of knowledge is as big a threat as any to sensitive species,” (Brzeskiewicz, M. September 25, 2000), The Ridges Sanctuary has the current research goal of developing institutionalized processes and protocols for the preservation and protection [..Read more]
By Anna Foster While Trillium, Yellow Lady’s Slippers, and Columbine are starting to unfurl in wooded lots along the peninsula, Dwarf Lake Iris and Marsh Marigolds are on display in the Sanctuary. Throughout the year, Ridges blooms trail slightly behind the rest of Door County. In fact, it’s about 10 degrees cooler in Baileys Harbor [..Read more]
By Katie Krouse Have you traveled to Nebraska to experience the sandhill crane migration? If not, I highly recommend it! A few weeks ago, I was fortunate to visit the Iain Nicolson Audubon Center at Rowe Sanctuary to experience the humbling migration of sandhill cranes. When I say humbling, I mean humbling -overwhelming – magnificent [..Read more]
Things start to get active in the Spring here in Door County: Forest-dwelling animals emerge from their winter slumber, flowers begin to bloom, sandhill cranes make their return, and citizen scientists…do citizen science! Citizen science – the collection and analysis of scientific data related to the natural world by the general public, is not only [..Read more]
By Anna Foster and Jackie Rath Owls of Interest Last February, we wrote a blog all about the common species of owls found in Door County, which you can access HERE. Common owls in Door County include the Barred Owl, the Great Horned owl, the Eastern Screech-Owl, the Saw Whet Owl, and the Snowy Owl. [..Read more]
by Sandy Miller Volunteering as a Baileys Harbor Range Light docent is about interacting with people and telling the story of the people who lived in the Upper Range Light. There is so much history packed into the 154 year old Upper Range Light – if only these walls could talk. But wait, that is [..Read more]
By Anna Foster If you’re anything like me, you might have groaned when you saw the first dusting of snow two weeks ago. The winter season brings opportunities for adventuring on snowshoes, cross country skis, snowmobiles, and ice skates… but it also means getting up 30 minutes earlier to shovel off your car. However, annoying [..Read more]
